As we begin the new year and the Second Session of the 114th Congress, newly elected Speaker Paul Ryan has an opportunity to turn the page on the bitter partisanship of the past few years and show that he is willing to work across the aisle to get things done for the American people. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that “House Speaker Paul Ryan starting this month will push to turn the chamber into a platform for ambitious Republican policy ideas.” But evidence points to the contrary, with the first items on the House’s agenda for 2016 being the sixty-second vote to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act, the eleventh vote to attack women’s health, and several bills that would undermine consumer safety, workplace safety, and environmental protections. House Republican leaders know these bills will never become law, yet they continue to pander to the far right with political messaging bills instead of bringing substantive, bipartisan legislation to the Floor. It is also unfortunate that Speaker Ryan has already taken issues such as comprehensive immigration reform and an expansion of paid family and medical leave off of the table.

“I’m pleased the Committee on Natural Resources passed this bipartisan legislation by unanimous consent today, bringing us one step closer to allowing construction of the National Law Enforcement Officers Museum to proceed.

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) testified today before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation on H.R. 4120, legislation he cosponsored with Congressman Frank Wolf (VA), which would allow construction to proceed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Museum by extending authorization for the non-profit National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF).

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) today introduced H.R. 4120, which would allow construction to proceed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Museum by extending authorization for the non-profit National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF).

“I am pleased that the President is honoring the principle of pay parity in his FY2015 budget proposal by including a 1% pay increase for those who serve our nation in the military and our civilian federal workforce.

“I am so pleased to be here. [Congressman] Keith Ellison was introduced as someone who was there in the heat, he was there in the rain, he was there today – a little warmer right now with the sun – but we’re going to be there.

“We need to energize our federal employees all over this government. Shutting down the government made no sense, it penalized people who were not responsible for what [House Republicans] don’t like…. But I want to thank each and every one of you.

“Good afternoon. Of course as we all know, it is not a good afternoon. It is an afternoon filled with angst, anxiety, fear, doubt, lack of confidence, and a concern all over America about whether their government can and does work. I want to thank all of you for being here. I know you share all that anxiety and fear, for your families and for yourselves. We want to thank you for the service you give to our federal government.

“While it is disappointing that the Pentagon has had to impose furlough days for civilian defense workers, thanks to cost-saving efforts announced by the Pentagon today, the eleven furlough days employees had been expected to take have now been reduced to six.

“I am pleased that the Senate took the important step today of confirming Tom Perez as our country’s next Secretary of Labor. As our economic recovery continues, America’s workers will benefit from a Labor Department with the dynamic leadership I know Secretary Perez will bring.

“Starting today, as a result of Congress’s failure to achieve a big and balanced solution to deficits, our national security and military readiness will be weakened as civilian workers are prevented from carrying out their important work because of furloughs.

“My good friend, John Berry, in his four years at the helm of the Office of Personnel Management, demonstrated outstanding leadership, much as he did when he served on my staff for ten years and was a principal architect of the Federal Employee Pay Comparability Act.

I am pleased the Obama Administration is proposing to reestablish the principle of pay parity between military personnel and federal civilian employees, which is a recognition of the critical contributions that both groups make to the defense and well being of our nation.